Finding Home
by Danielle Christine
Summary: (THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF "FINDING THE SUNSHINE". READ FTS FIRST!) Daryl had found Beth. Amazing, really, under the circumstances. Maggie, Glenn, Rick, Michonne, Carl and Judith found Beth and Daryl. Even more amazing. But what's the most amazing thing of all is the sanctuary they find after, finally giving them the safety and the normalness they crave. (A Bethyl Story)
1. Sunshine and Strawberries

"We have to go get Rick and the kids," Michonne said as they stood in the main room after seeing everything there was to see, aside from the one still unlockable door.

"You two should stay here, protect the house until we get back," Glenn said to Beth and Maggie. Daryl looked quickly toward Beth, the idea of leaving her alone extremely unsettling. Granted, Maggie would be with her, but it still didn't sit right with him. And apparently, it didn't sit right with Beth either. She walked up closer to Daryls side, their shoulders touching. She looked up at him, and he looked down at her, their eyes expressing their desire to stay together.

Maggie, Glenn and Michonne looked at the two of them, and Maggie sighed deeply. She didn't know what the hell was going on with them, but she knew she wanted her sister to feel safe. Apparently, Daryl did that for her.

"Daryl and Beth can stay. I'll go with you guys," Maggie said, already heading toward the door. Glenn reached out and touched her arm, trying to get her to reconsider, but she shot him a look that dared him to utter a word.

Michonne just shrugged. Obviously, she was going either way.

"We'll go out the window and come back in the same way. We can talk about what our next move is when we're all together," Michonne said as she accepted a working front door key card and slid it in her back pocket. Glenn frowned at Daryl and Beth, not too sure what he thought about their 'friendship'. If anything, it was just fricken' weird. Beth was like a little sister to him. Was he okay with her obvious infatuation with a man who was much older then her? He sighed. If Maggie didn't seem to mind, then who was _he_ to question it.

"I expect a nice, home cooked meal when we get back," he said joking, trying to lighten up and just enjoy the fact that they had stumbled upon something amazing in a world that was far from it. Maggie ran quickly toward the pantry and grabbed three bags of chips and three bottles of soda.

"For the walk," she said with a smile, handing Glenn and Michonne each their own treat. They closed the door behind them, leaving Beth and Daryl standing in the middle of the living space, smiling stupidly at each other.

"Race you to the bacon," she said with a laugh, breaking the silence, as she ran toward the kitchen. Daryl shook his head, a grin on his face, and walked lazily behind her.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

An hour later, their stomachs were full, they had cleaned up their mess, and Daryl had finally taken a shower. He changed into a clean pair of jeans, new socks and boots, and a plain back tshirt. He was polishing up his vest with leather cleaner and a dish rag at the kitchen counter, when Beth came up behind him. Daryl heard the snap of scissors by his ear and jumped. Beth laughed so hard she bent over, clutching her sides.

"Damn girl, I'm not as young as I once was. Ya tryin' to give me a heart attack?" Beth just smiled at his over exaggeration.

"Daryl, you are not that old. Hell, if I had to guess, I'd say you ain't a day over 30." He chuckled softly and held out his vest, not even bothering to comment on his actual age. What did it matter, anyway?

"Looks good," Beth commented on the vest. He shrugged before hanging it up on a metal hanger. He found a nail on the wall and hung the vest to dry. "Know what else would look good?," she asked him. He turned toward her and raised an eyebrow in response. "A haircut!", she said snapping the scissors excitedly. Daryl shook his head.

"Nu uh. No way. I'm not letting you near my head with those scissors, girl." Beth rolled her eyes.

"Don't be such a baby, Daryl. Don't you wanna see without looking through your bangs? Besides, I bet you got all sort of critters making camp in that mop."

"Do not," he said, sounding almost like a child. "I just washed my hair. It's fine." She nodded, still smiling patiently.

"I'm sure it is, but you'd feel so much better if you just let me take a few inches off. And you know, there were some razors in the cabinet. You could've shaved while you were in the shower." He just shrugged, not wanting to do either. "Tell you what," she said walking over to the small corner table and pulling out a chair. "You sit down and let me cut your hair and get rid of that God awful beard, and the next time you tell me to do something, I'll listen. No questions asked."

Daryl raised his eyebrow, knowing a better offer would never come. Beth had a way of challenging what he said, and it drove him damn crazy. Maybe a hair cut wouldn't be so bad after all.

"You really wanna cut my hair?," he asked looking at her. She nodded.

"I really do."

He grunted slightly, but placed himself in the chair anyway. Beth clapped her hands excitedly and walked to stand behind him. She began to hum an old country tune, and Daryl found himself relaxing into the back of chair, enjoying the feel of her hands in his hair. It was even relaxing, that is until she came to stand before him, nudging his legs apart and standing in the center of them to get a better angle on the front of his hair.

His eyes were level with her breasts, and he tried not to look, but where else were his eyes supposed to go? He took a deep breath in, inhaling the summery scent of her. She smelled like sunshine, and strawberries.

His hands were resting on his thighs, but some how they raised slightly so that they were gently touching the sides of hers. He felt her pause and take a deep intake of breath, but when he looked up he saw her smiling as she continued to chop away at his hair. After a few more minutes, she pulled back and smiled.

"You wait right here. No peaking. I'll be right back." Beth walked from the kitchen, the door closing behind her, and came back in a few seconds later with a can of shaving cream and a new razor.

"I know how to shave, Beth," he said looking up at her and trying not to look at the clumps of hair that were all around him on the chair. Beth walked up in between his legs again, and she gently reached down and tilted his head up, so that they were looking into each others eyes.

"I'm sure you do. I just want to do it for you, okay?," she asked with a sweet smile. How could he deny her? Daryl was sure he'd do anything she wanted him to do, let her do anything she wanted to do. As long as she kept smiling at him like that.

So what else could he say? He just shrugged, trying not to let their nearness effect him, but also knowing it was a lost cause. Everything Beth did effected him in one way or another.

She giggled a little as she smeared the cool cream on his face. She filled a small bowl with water from the sink and then set about her task. Daryl watched her face as she focused on his. A few minutes later she gripped the towel that she had hung over his shoulders and wiped the rest of the shaving cream off of his face. She smiled widely as she took a step back to admire her handiwork.

"Well holy, hell. Daryl Dixon, you look ten years younger." Daryl reached up and ran his hands through his short hair, and his now stubble free chin. If he had to be honest, he felt younger too. Lighter. She reached out and grabbed his hand, pulling him from the kitchen and toward the bathroom. He walked up to the mirror, Beth standing behind him.

"Did good, Greene," he said smiling at her through the mirror. She shrugged.

"Maybe when Maggie gets back she can cut my hair for me." Daryl laughed.

"What? You don't trust me with a pair of scissors?," he said as he turned around and smiled mockingly at her.

"I trust you with a lot of things, Daryl. But not with my hair." Daryl smiled and reached out, twirling the end of her braid in his fingers.

"Don't cut your hair, Beth. It's pretty just as it is." His words made her blush, and they stood there staring at each other for a few minutes before the silence was broken, and by Daryl none the less.

"So what now?," he asked, wondering how they'd kill some time before the others got back.

"Now we watch a movie," she said happily. "I'll even let you pick since I tortured you with all the unnecessary grooming," she said as she sauntered from the bathroom.

"You are just too kind," Daryl said sarcastically as he followed her. Beth jumped over the back of the couch that faced the television, curling her feet up under her. Daryl picked an action movie, surprising neither of them, and turned it on. He sat next to Beth on the couch, even though there were other places to sit. Beth didn't seem to mind. Actually, she appeared as if she was contented with the idea, as she scooted closer to him. He didn't ask what she was doing. He didn't care. He liked being close to her. She made him feel just as safe as he made her feel. So when she lifted his arm and snuggled into his side, he said nothing. He hand automatically began to run up and down her arm, and she sighed in contentment. The opening credits had barely finished, when they both fell into, finally, a restful sleep.

_**A/N: Don't forget to review! Reviews make me update quicker! ;)**_


	2. Kingdom Come

_**Disclaimer: I do not own TWD, it's characters, or the song 'Til Kingdom Come' by Coldplay.**_

Rick smiled toward Carl and Judith before he opened the front door and went to greet them. The sun had gone down an hour ago, and he was beginning to get a little anxious. He knew it was going to take them some time with the walk and all, but he had expected them back before darkness fell. He sighed deeply, feeling himself relax with the sight of Michonne walking through the woods, Maggie and Glenn following closely behind. Maggie waved at him, happily it seemed, the other hand holding Glenns. Michonne smiled brightly, and picked up her pace when she saw him walking toward them. Rick grinned back at them, before noticing that two of them were missing.

"Where's Daryl and Beth?," he asked as his heart picked up the familiar patter of fear. Surely they were okay, otherwise these three wouldn't be grinning like Christmas had come early. Michonne finally reached him and instinctively grabbed his hand, pulling him back toward the cabin.

"C'mon, we got a surprise for you," she said to him with a wink, as Maggie and Glenn followed them inside the cabin.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Beth stretched out on the couch with a yawn, her arm barely gliding across skin that wasn't her own. She opened her eyes and looked up. Somehow, her head had fallen from his shoulder and into his lap during their rest. Her legs were stretched out across the rest of the couch, Daryls arm draped comfortably across her chest, his hand settled on her stomach. He was still sitting up, slightly bent over as he slept.

Beth studied him for a minute; the rise and fall of his chest, the scars on his muscled arms, the sweetness of a sleeping Daryl. Child like. Beautiful.

She closed her eyes and noticed the clear blue of the television screen, the movie long over. She gently touched the back of his hand and lifted it from her stomach, setting it beside her on the couch while she rolled off the side. She flipped on a small table lamp for light before turning the tv off and then quietly walking into the kitchen.

She turned on the lights and looked around. While everything down in the bunker was in perfect condition, it all had a perfect, thick layer of dust on it as well. And now the floor by the table in the corner was covered in hair that they had forgotten to sweep. Wouldn't exactly meet the health department standards, she thought to herself with a little chuckle.

She knew that the rest of the group would wait til morning to come. It was the safest option, especially with Judith and Carl. Thanks to her snuggle session with Daryl, she felt more rested then she had in years. It wouldn't take that long, to remove the dust from every nook and cranny before the others got back. Hell, who was she kidding. This place was huge. But it wouldn't hurt to get a head start. Now if only she could remember where she saw the cleaning supplies.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

Daryl woke up to the smells of pine sol and bleach a little while later. The last thing he remembered before he fell asleep was the smell of Beths hair. This smell was very different from the strawberries and sunshine he associated with her. He looked around the family area, still amazed that they had stumbled upon something so unexpected.

Maybe there was a God up there. Maybe he'd been watching them and decided they deserved a break. Daryl didn't know, but he was grateful. He heard Beth singing to herself through the kitchen door. He smiled before walking to the bathroom. He did his business and threw some cold water on his face, his reflection in the mirror kind of throwing him for a loop. He looked so… normal. He wasn't sure he'd be able to get used to that, but he knew that as long as they were there, he would try.

He pushed the kitchen door open. She must not have heard him because she didn't make any effort to turn. The kitchen sparkled, looking more like a showroom then an actual kitchen. She sat kneeled in the furthest corner, her sleeves rolled up and a sponge in her hand, scrubbing the floor. She continued to sing:

"_For you I'd wait 'til Kingdom come. Until my day. My day is done. And say you'll come. And set me free. Just say you'll wait, you'll wait for me."_

Daryl took a step forward, his boot making a clomping sound, causing Beth to stop singing and look back at him. She smiled before turning her attention back toward her task.

"Hope I didn't wake ya," she said to him. He jumped up on the counter, his eyes on the back of her head.

"It's been a long time since I smelled pine sol. Even before the world gone to shit." She chuckled softly and set the sponge down, turning toward him before leaning back on her bottom.

"Are you hungry? I could cook ya something." Daryl shook his head 'no' . Beth scowled at him playfully.

"Well you're not gonna sit here and watch me clean, Daryl Dixon. It'll drive me crazy. Grab a can of that pledge over there and go take care of Judy's room. I pulled out a vacuum, too." Daryl rolled his eyes and hopped off the counter, snatching the bottle of cleaner and a rag. Those damn Greene girls. Always so bossy.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"I know you say there's a lot of food, but I don't think I feel comfortable with leaving what we have left here," Rick said to Michonne as they took watch in front of the cabin. The sun was just beginning to rise, and they would be waking every one soon.

"We don't need it, Rick. Someone else might. It's the right thing to do." They sat side by side against the house, their thighs and shoulders touching. This had become the usual for them, late night/early morning conversations while on watch, sitting close together for warmth on cold nights, and comfort on warmer ones. Rick wasn't sure how it happened, but somewhere along the road Michonne had become his best friend.

"I guess I just won't believe it until' I see it." Michonne smiled.

"I've seen it, Rick, and I still don't quite believe it." He looked over at her, and she smiled a full, genuine smile. He had gotten a lot of those that night, and they were so rare that he had taken mental images, memorizing the curves of her lips and the slight crinkle in her eyes. It had taken him awhile to notice, but when he had he couldn't stop noticing. Michonne was beautiful.

They heard a rustling in the trees, accompanied by a low, guttural moan, and they both shot to their feet, weapons raised. The walker emerged from the trees, spotting them, hands grasping and reaching as it slowly made its way toward them.

"I got it," Michonne said as she took the three steps down and raised her katana over her head. She brought it down on the walker, slicing half of its skull clear off. The walker fell to the ground, brain matter and God knows what else leaking onto the dying grass.

More noises from the forest caused Michonne to take a step forward to investigate. The sight before her caused her heart to race. A herd was heading their way. At least 50 of them. Sure, they were moving slowly, but the way they were heading, they would no doubt run right into the cabin.

"Hurry," she whispered back toward Rick. "Get the others. We got to get the hell out of here."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Daryl and Beth had spent the first 5 hours of the morning cleaning the bunker. The kitchen, bathroom, kids room, one bedroom, main room and control room had all been thoroughly dusted, vacuumed and mopped. They figured that the others should be arriving any minute, so Beth set about making them all a nice meal, as Daryl decided to go through the upstairs more thoroughly in search for a key card that would open the inoperable door.

The food was done, the table set. Beth had even found a nice candelabra to set in the middle of the large dining table in the main room. It might've only been lunch time, but Beth wanted their arrival home to be special, something worth remembering in a world where all you did was try to forget.

Beth lit the candles as she heard the front door click open. She turned her eyes, smiling softly as she watched Daryl peak his head in.

"I see them coming through the back. I'm gonna meet em' at the window," he said before his eyes took in the table.

"A little fancy, don't ya think?," he asked gruffly.

"Don't worry, Daryl. There ain't no special forks or nothing. Go get our family." Daryl guffawed and pulled his head back. Two seconds later he poked his head back in the door. "Almost forgot," he said as he walked inside the room. "I found this upstairs."

Daryl held it out, a beautiful wooden acoustic guitar. Beths face lit up as she reached out and took it from him.

"It's beautiful," she said softly as she ran her fingers over the strings and looked up at him thankfully. Daryl shrugged, as if it meant nothing, but Beth could see the joy in his face. She knew him better then he thought she did.

She reached out and took his hand, taking one step forward so that she was basically chest to chest with him. Tilting her head back slightly and raising on her toes, she kissed his cheek. Beth watched as his face turned a pale shade of red. She didn't say anything, just squeezed his hand one more time reassuringly before letting it fall. She walked the guitar over the couch, and set it against the cushions.

Daryl didn't know why, but he followed her. Wasn't he supposed to be doing something else? She turned and almost ran into him, her hands found his biceps and she held on to steady herself. Instinctively, his hands came to rest on her hips.

"Sorry," he muttered, clearly embarrassed at having been caught following her. Beth just smiled up at him, not making any effort to distance herself from him. "It's just…That song you were singing earlier. Think you can maybe finish it later? I'd like to hear it."

"Thought you found my singing annoying, Daryl," she said softly, her thumbs beginning to rub the skin on his arms.

"Well, I ain't found that juke box yet, so…" Beth smiled and nodded. The front door clicked open, but neither of them heard as they stood with their arms practically around each other. Rick cleared his throat, and their heads turned quickly toward the sound, their hands falling away and each of them taking two steps back.

Maggie rolled her eyes, Carl raised an eyebrow and Glenn scowled.

"Hope we weren't interrupting," Rick said, an amused grin on his face as he winked at Daryl. Daryl rolled his eyes. It was gonna be a long day.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Truthfully, the day had gone by pretty damn fast. After they ate the amazing lunch that Beth had prepared, they showed Rick and Carl the rest of the shelter. At one point, Beth was sure she saw Ricks eyes mist with emotion. The relief she was sure he felt, finally being able to have his children in a safe place, it was a lot to take in.

They propped the door to the childrens room open with a chair, leaving Judith to have free roam of their surroundings, as a child should have. She spent most of the time playing with blocks in her room though, everyone taking turns checking on her. Carl settled himself in front of the tv with a video game that they had found in one of the upstairs bedrooms.

Maggie set about trying to figure out the computers, Glenn took inventory on everything that they had there, and the rest of them continued to clean the bunker until dinner time. They had a light dinner of leftovers that night, their small stomachs still full from the large lunch that Beth prepared. Afterward, once Judith and Carl were sleeping soundly, the six of them gathered in the living space.

"I should be able to hack into the computers tomorrow. I'm so close I can taste it, but the numbers were all beginning to get a little blurry," Maggie said, updating them on her progress.

"We have enough supplies here to last the 8 of us 15 years, at least, if we conserve and continue to replenish," Glenn put in.

"Tomorrow I'm going to take a closer look around outside, see what we can do to secure the property better. Anyone can come up on us right now, and aside from hiding down here, we're pretty much open to the crazy. I also want to look into starting a garden. Maybe try to gather some animals. We can do something here. This can be home," Rick said.

"I wonder how Eugene and Abraham are faring," Michonne said after a second of silence. The idea of curing the plague, of having a part in it, held a certain allure to Michonne. But the idea of leaving Rick and Carl. Judith. She knew there was no way she would go with them and abandon her family.

"Abrahams tough. I'm sure they're fine," Daryl said, not wanting the mood to be brought down by the probable fact that Eugene and Abraham will never make it to Washington. It was a pipe dream from the beginning. Glenn looked at the guitar, trying to get back on to happier subjects as well.

"You gonna play for us, Beth?," he asked with a smile.

"I sure do miss the sound of your voice, Bethy," Maggie said with an encouraging smile. Daryl reached over next to him and handed her the guitar. She strummed the strings gently, surprised to find it was still in tune.

"You takin' requests?," Michonne asked as she leaned forward.

"Not tonight," she said softly, her gaze finding Daryls. She winked and began to play. It was a soft, almost haunting melody, and it pulled the group in immediately. No one more then Daryl, though, whose eyes were planted firmly on her face, waiting for the truest instrument, her voice, to play.

"_Still my heart and hold my tongue. _

I feel my time, my time has come.

Let me in, unlock the door,

I never felt this way before,"

Beths eyes found Daryls. It seemed as if everyone else faded away as she continued to sing, the words never meaning so much to her.

"Hold my head inside your hands

I need someone who understands

I need someone, someone who hears

For you I've waited all these years"

Was she singing those words to him? Daryl watched her as her eyes fell to the strings, and then back to him, singing words that seemed as if they were pulled from his own heart. Words that he knew he wouldn't, he couldn't, say.

"For you I'd wait 'til kingdom come

Until my day my day is done

And say you'll come and set me free

Just say you'll wait, you'll wait for me.

In your tears and in your blood

In your fire and in your flood

I hear you laugh

I heard you sing

I wouldn't change a single thing

The wheels just keep on turning

The drummers begin to drum

I don't know which way I'm going

I don't know what I've become

For you I'd wait 'til kingdom come

Until my days my days are done

Say you'll come and set me free

Just say you'll wait, you'll wait for me

Just say you'll wait, you'll wait for me

Just say you'll wait, you'll wait for me"

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Authors Note: Hope you enjoyed the latest chapter. I was so thrilled with my five reviews and over 200 views that I wrote this HUGE (well, huge for me) chapter for you guys. Hope the fluff isn't boring you. I got some ideas that are going to shake things up a bit, but I need you to help me out by throwing me some ideas of your own as well. Which means, REVIEW! The more reviews, the quicker I update. Thanks for reading guys, I appreciate you all.


	3. Scars

**A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews for the last chapter. I appreciate them. I wasn't going to update this story today, but I was so grateful that I just had to. So, please excuse (and enjoy) the short chapter. Please, review! I appreciate you all. ;)**

Until they could figure out a way to secure the house more efficiently, they all had decided it was best if they took turns in groups of two to patrol the top levels of the house. Since Daryl and Beth had gotten the most rest recently, they had decided to take the first night shift.

She would never complain about it, but her back was killing her due to all the scrubbing she had done that day. At least, she assumed it was the scrubbing. So as Daryl made another lap, checking out windows and such, Beth stood in the living room, stretching her muscles.

"What are you doin', girl?," Daryl asked as he walked into the room, catching Beth with her hands high in the air as she bent backward as far as she could go without falling.

"Just stretchin'. Think I might've pulled something in my back." Daryl walked up behind her.

"Where's it hurtin'?," he asked, his eyes on her back. She pointed to the middle.

"Lift your shirt," he commanded, causing Beth to look back at him with an amused glint in her eye. Daryl rolled his eyes, seeing that the littlest Greene had her head in the gutter.

"Just want to make sure there's no bruising," he said calmly. She nodded and pulled the back of her shirt up over her shoulders, keeping her chest covered in front. Daryl winced. While he had seen her front after that creep had assaulted her, this was the first time he had seen her bare back.

Lines of scars trailed from top to bottom. Looked like switch hits. He'd been all too familiar with them as a child. He took a deep breath, trying to look passed them and see if there was any discoloration that could indicate any problems other then a pulled muscle. It was clear, aside from the pale white scars.

From the looks of it, those ass hats who had kidnapped her more then just sexually abused her, and the idea of Beth taking the beatings had his own eyes misting with emotion.

He reached out slowly, his fingers tracing the longest scar on her back, starting right below the top of her shoulder, and ending right above the band of her jeans. The tickling sensation gave Beth goosebumps, and then she remembered.

She hadn't seen her own back since she had been abducted. She could only imagine the scars that Jasper and Scooter had left behind. She lowered her shirt slowly.

"I'm sorry," she heard Daryl whisper behind her. She turned quickly to see his head down, but his face not as hidden as it used to be.

"What on Earth are you sorry for, Daryl? You didn't put those scars there."

"I didn' stop em' either. I wasn't there," he responded sadly.

"But you're here now, ain't ya?" He didn't say anything. "You're here. Our family is here. Those scars mean nothing, you hear me? As far as I'm concerned, those scars were nonexistent the moment I heard you screaming for me in the woods. They were gone just like that. Because of you." He looked up at her then, their eyes meeting and holding.

His stare was so intense. Like he was seeing inside of her. Beth did the only thing she could think to do under his gaze. She reached her arms out and wrapped herself around him, tucking her head under his chin and just holding on. Daryls arms circled her as well, his hands rubbing her back, over her scars.

"I won't let nothing else bad happen to ya, girl," he said into her hair.

"I know, Daryl. I know." They were so wrapped up in each other, they didn't hear Glenn walk in the room. He cleared his throat and Beth and Daryl separated.

"My turn for watch," he said evenly. Beth nodded and they headed for the study and the stairs down. "Hey Daryl. Think you can stick around a minute?," Glenn asked. Beth looked between the two of them, and Daryl nodded her ahead.

"I think we need to have a talk," Glenn said when Beth was no longer in sight. Daryl walked over to stand in front of him, not sure that he liked or appreciated his tone.

"So talk," he said, practically daring him with his eyes to speak out of line.

Xxxxxxxxx

TBC… Review!


	4. On the couch?

_**A/N: Sorry for the late update. I was thrilled with the number of reviews I got, so much so that I wrote half of this chapter the same day, but then life got in the way and it wasn't until today that I could finish it up for you. My daughter had a birthday and I get a little carried away with parties so I immersed myself in the world of pop stars and guitars for three days straight...lol.. Now, alas.. The party is over and back to the world of walkers and romance… ahhh…And I made this chapter a lil longer then usual, just as a thanks for your patience. Don't forget to review!**_

"So talk," Daryl said, practically daring Glenn to speak out of line. Glenn held his ground.

"What's going on with you and Beth?," he asked bluntly. Daryl regarded him carefully, trying to keep his annoyance at a minimum.

"Ain't nothing goin' on with me and Beth," he answered gruffly.

"Sure don't look like nothing. This is the second time in 24 hours that I walked into a room to catch you guys…"

"Doin' what?," Daryl said, cutting Glenn off. "Huggin'? You tell me what I'm sposed to do when that girl throws her arms around me?"

"I seen the looks." Okay. Daryl had enough of this.

"What's it matter to you anyway?," Daryl said taking a step forward and poking Glenn in the chest. "How is anything that happens between me and Beth any of your God Damned business?"

Daryl keeps stepping forward as Glenn backs up.

"She's like a little sister to me, man. I just don't want to see her get hurt."

"And I do? If I'm rememberin' things right you didn't even look fer her. None of ya even thought to." Glenn pulled back, as if Daryl had physically slapped him with his words. "It was me! I went to look for Beth. I found her. I didn't give up on her. The rest of you were ready to just accept that she was dead. Another dead girl. So don't you dare come at me, demanding to know things that are none of your business, talkin' about things that you don't understand. Don't play big brother now when she don't need ya to."

Daryl tried to turn, walk away from the situation that he knew was beginning to get out of hand. He was no longer able to keep his anger at bay, and he knew that if he spent any more time defending his relationship with Beth to Glenn, it was going to end badly.

Glenn didn't seem to understand that Daryl was trying to give himself some space, and reached out, cupping Daryls shoulder in an effort to continue the conversation. Instead of Daryl giving him any more of his time, he turned back swinging, clipping Glenn on the side of the face forcefully. Surprisingly, Glenn didn't fall back, but it had definitely taken him by surprise. Daryl stood, huffing at Glenn, as Glenn brought his hand to his cheek disbelievingly. Then, after a half a second of thought, he brought his fist to the side of Daryls mouth in retaliation.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Beth had just settled on the couch in the bunker to wait for Daryl to return. She heard a thud above her and jumped to her feet. She opened the door and ran up the stairs to investigate. She definitely didn't expect to see Daryl and Glenn engaged in fist to fist combat.

From what she could tell, Daryl definitely had the advantage, holding Glenn down as he struggled to get up. They didn't hear Beth come up the stairs.

"I'ma let you up. We're done here," Daryl said sternly, looking Glenn in the eye. Beth could see Glenn nod as Daryl released him, standing up slowly, his eyes never leaving Glenn. Glenn backed up, standing to his feet. Beth could see Glenn was going to have a black eye. Daryl raised his fist up to his own lip and batted away a little bit of blood from his lip.

Just then, Glenn looked past Daryl and toward Beth where she stood in the doorway, a confused look on her face. Daryl followed his gaze, his eyes lowering in embarrassment at Beth witnessing such a barbaric scene between the two of them.

Glenn watched as Beth walked up to where Daryl stood with his shoulders slumped over slightly, completely ignoring him and focusing her attention on Daryl. She reached up to his face silently, inspecting his swollen lip and bruised cheek. It had appeared as if Glenn had gotten a few hits in as well.

Daryls eyes found Beths, and she smiled reassuringly before she dropped her hand to his. Her eyes shot daggers back at Glenn as she led him from the room and downstairs.

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Maggie was coming up the stairs to join Glenn on watch, as Beth and Daryl were walking down.

"What in the hell happened to your face?," she asked Daryl. Daryl dropped Beths hand and continued down the stairs, ignoring Maggie completely.

"Why don't you ask your husband?," Beth replied angrily as she followed Daryl into the bunker and closed the door behind them.

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Beth walked into the bathroom and stood behind Daryl as he threw cool water on his face. She reached into the cabinet and pulled out a clean hand towel. He looked up, his eyes catching Beths concerned eyes in the mirror over the sink. He sighed deeply and turned around.

Beth reached up with the towel and dabbed at his lip. He grimaced, the throbbing intense, and the pressure Beth added as she cleaned the wound not helping matters much at all.

"Don't be such a baby," Beth said as she watched him sneer. He pulled his face back and snatched the towel from her hands. He turned back toward the mirror and started to clean off his face himself.

She put her hands on her hips and glared at him through the mirror, irritated with his abrupt movement and his shitty attitude. _She_ wasn't the one who just got into a fist fight with one of her best friends.

"You want to tell me what the hell happened down there?," she asked. Daryl threw the rag down on the side of the sink.

"None of yer damn business," he said curtly as he walked passed her and headed for the bathroom door. She reached her hand out, grabbing his wrist and pulled him back around.

"Oh no you don't," she said as he once again came face to face with her. "My brother and my bo…my best friend are downstairs fightin' each other. I think that qualifies and my business," she said trying to stand her ground, but still mentally kicking herself for the almost slip up.

"That right there," Daryl said catching it. "What were you gonna say Beth?," he said, almost accusingly. Beth shook her head.

"I said what I meant," she said, trying to cover it up. This wasn't supposed to be about her. It was about him, and about Glenn.

"You were gonna say something else. You were gonna call me your boyfriend. That's what the fight was about," he said angrily. "I ain't no ones boyfriend, Beth."

Her eyes fell, her heart breaking a little at his words. She knew that he wasn't her _boyfriend_. But there was something else there between them, more then friendship. She knew that, too. Even if Daryl didn't want to admit it. And then the realization hit that their fight had been about _her_.

Beth took a deep breath as Daryl turned and once again tried slipping out of the bathroom door. Quickly, on instinct alone, she ducked under his arm and blocked his exit. She forced herself to look up, into his eyes; eyes that were mere inches from her own now. She was pressed against the back of the door and they just looked at each other, each waiting for something that neither of them could exactly pinpoint.

"What do you want from me, girl? Huh?," Daryl said, the anger in his voice replaced by a sort of defeated, exasperated sigh.

Beth wasn't sure what had come over her, but she was damn sure of what she wanted from him. She just wanted him, all of him, every scar, every bump and callous. She wanted his good days and his bad ones. She wanted to touch him, to kiss him. She wanted to thank him for saving her with more then just words, thank him for believing in her when no one else did. For finding her. For confiding in her. For trusting her.

Slowly, Beth reached out sliding her hands up his chest and linking her fingers around his neck.

Daryl hung his head, defeated, knowing that he wouldn't be able to deny her. He never could. He was so grateful to her. She had given him hope at a time when all hope was lost. She had given him her trust, her compassion and her understanding. She had brought the sunshine back into the dark walls of his heart, and as wrong as it might've been, he loved her. Daryl loved Beth with all that he was.

"Daryl," she said softly as her fingers toyed with the back of his freshly cut hair. He looked up, his eyes meeting her bright blue ones. "I just want you," she answered softly. At those words, all of his restraint vanished and he reached out, grabbing her by the hips and pulling her flush against his chest. The shock played across her face briefly, replaced by a smile that lit his soul on fire.

He lowered his head and crushed his lips to hers, forgetting all about the pain and focusing on the feel of her lips on his. Beth moaned slightly into his mouth, and Daryl felt his blood boil at the sensuous sound.

Never in his life has a simple kiss reached his toes and made his entire body tingle. Beth opened her mouth slightly, allowing their tongues to slide together in perfect harmony. Daryl pushed her up against the door, probably rougher then he should have. But she didn't seem to mind, she just held on tighter and continued to explore his mouth with hers.

His hands traveled from her waist to her ass, lifting her slightly off of the ground. She wrapped her legs around his waist as Daryl lowered his mouth to her neck and began to trail kisses down her shoulder.

Beth could feel his erection pressing against her, and it frightened and thrilled her all at the same time. Beth was no longer a virgin, but it hadn't been by choice. She had been forced to give up a part of herself that she was saving for someone special, that she had been saving for someone like Daryl. The sensations that were traveling through her body were completely new to her, and it was amazing.

Their breathing was heavy and labored. Daryl reached out, flipping the lock on the door, before focusing his attention back on Beth; her lips, her neck, her amazing curves. He turned, still holding on to her, her legs still wrapped firmly around him, and he lowered her to the cold tile.

Beth moaned again as his stiffness pressed against her middle. She wanted this. She wanted him. Her body wanted him.

Daryl pulled back, looking down at her, trying to catch his breath. It had all happened so fast. He had been acting without thought, taking what he wanted from her without thinking about the way she was sure to be feeling. The last man who had touched her… He didn't even want to think about it. But he knew he had no business doing this, no business having his way with her on the bathroom floor. She deserved so much more then that. He pulled back, sitting, his jeans his too tight and his heart beating too fast.

"What's wrong?," Beth asked him as she sat up on her elbows and looked at him, her lips puffy and her breasts rising and falling quickly with expectation and want.

"We're not doin' this here, Beth," he said softly. "Ain't right."

"I'm guessing I don't get a say in the matter, huh?" Daryl stood up, and Beth could see the outline of him through his jeans. Daryl followed her eyes and blushed, turning around. Beth stood up.

"Daryl, wait. Do you mean that we aren't doin' this at all," she said her finger pointing between the two of them, "Or do you mean that we just aren't doing it in the bathroom." Daryl growled, low in his throat and turned back around, grabbing her by the waist and kissing her once, softly this time.

"Here," he replied. He pulled back and ran a hand down her hair, smoothing out the mussed look of it.

"So like…," she said, smiling devilishly at him. "On the couch then?" Daryl couldn't help it. He laughed and rolled his eyes.

"Another time, Greene. Another place." He pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. "Come on, let's get you to bed." Daryl opened the bathroom door and Beth sighed happily as she walked under his arm and out the door, stopping in her tracks when she saw Maggie sitting on the edge of the couch waiting for her.

"Bethy. I think we need to talk." _Damn it_, Daryl thought as he looked at Beth. _Here we go again. _

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TBC. Don't forget to review!


	5. Blessings and Bunk Beds

_**Dear Bethyl Fans,**_

_**Couldn't help but wonder if you guys heard me screaming all the way from Indiana during the last three minutes of TWD on Sunday. I'm super bummed that we didn't even get to see a proper reunion between the two before it all went down… Luckily, we have our stories to keep the dream alive…**_

**_In other news, I am sooooooooooooooo happy about the 9 (count em!) reviews for the last chapter. I've been thinking about you guys daily since, but once again I've had to turn into Super Mom and set my beloved fics aside as focus on one of my munchkins who has developed a throat infection which led to a high fever, which led to a mouth full of fever blisters and a very unhappy 7 year old. Two ER trips, a doctors visit, Thanksgiving and Black Friday/ Cyber Monday, and the endless trips to the store trying to find something she could eat without it burning her poor tongue have resulted in an unintentional and completely frustrating break for me. And while their may be one extra kid home for the next week (bringing the daily tally to 2), I intend on updating at LEAST twice during the next 7 days, as long as I can get to it during the day. Those numbers double once school lets out which makes writing after 3 pm almost impossible. _**

Anywho: Sorry about my ramble up there. Back to it. Enjoy, and don't forget to bless me with your reviews! ~Danielle

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Daryl looked toward Beth, and she nodded him toward the kitchen, her way of telling him that she'd tell him all about it momentarily. He walked past the Greene sisters and into the kitchen , leaving the girls alone to chat. As soon as Daryl closed the door behind him, Maggie turned toward Beth and crossed her arms over her chest.

"What are you doin'?," she asked in a motherly tone that Beth didn't appreciate.

"Well, I was getting ready to go to bed," she said with a small smirk, knowing that wasn't what Maggie had meant. Maggie sighed and walked over to the couch behind her, sitting down and patting the place beside her. Beth rolled her eyes and walked over, sitting next to her.

"Listen, Bethy. I didn't say anything at first, because I was just so grateful to have found you. But this thing you have going with Daryl…I just don't think it's a good idea."

"Maggie, I…"

"No wait, Beth. Let me finish." Beth bit her tongue and clutched her hands together in her lap. "You know I think Daryl's a good man. I trust him with my life, and I trust him with yours. I just don't think he's a good match for you. If the world wasn't the way it was now, would you ever even look twice at him? He's so much older then you, so serious. You two are complete opposites. I know he saved you from whatever situation you were in, but you don't _owe_ him. You don't _have_ to be with him because he looked for you and found you…And what would Daddy say?…"

"That's enough," Beth said holding up a hand to stop her sister. How dare she try to bring their father into this conversation. Beth was irritated with her sister, but she knew that yelling at her and fussing like a hormonal teenage girl wasn't going to get her point across. She had to take the calm, collective approach and hope it worked. "It's my turn to talk," Beth continued slowly.

"I'm going to let you in a little secret, Maggie. I fell in lust with Daryl Dixon the moment he walked onto our farm. I fell in love with Daryl the second I saw him with Judith in his arms. So don't ever think I'm with him because I feel obligated. That's never been the case."

"I might've never looked at him twice before the walkers, but that's only because our paths would've never crossed otherwise.

"He's a very quiet man, reserved, but his heart is three times the size of someone who has been given every opportunity in the world. His soul is broken, but when we're together, I can feel his hope. I think I give that to him. And when we're together, Maggie," she said before releasing a long sigh and smiling brightly, her doe eyes sparkling with sincerity…

"When we're together I feel as if I am untouchable, no one can hurt me. I can feel him near me, surrounding me, even when I haven't seen him come in because to me his presence is so great that it surpasses every other feeling I could have. In those rare moments that we touch, my skin feels like it's on fire. He knows what I'm thinking without me havin' to say anything, and I can tell when something's on his mind just by the expression he gets on his face. I can even get him to talk about it. Sometimes," she said with a little giggle. Maggies eyes softened and she smiled slightly.

"And then there's these moments, these silent moments where neither of us are saying anything, just sittin' together, and it feels so…right. You really want me to give that up, Maggie? You really think I should just walk away from someone who makes me feel so good in a world that's just so horrible? And as far as Daddy goes, I think he would say that it doesn't matter who I end up with, as long as he treats me right and loves me like there's no other woman in the world." Maggie frowned.

"I just couldn't stand to see you hurt, Beth," she said softly. Beth reached out and took her sisters hands.

"The only thing that could hurt me now is you trying to keep me back from him. Because I am not giving him up, Mags. Ain't gonna happen. At the risk of sounding like a bitch, if it came down to it, I'd chose him. Over Rick. Over Glenn. And even over you. That would hurt me the most, I think. Loosin' ya. But I refuse to lose him. You understand, don't ya? After the prison, it was Glenn you went lookin' for. Not me." Maggie shot her eyes to her sisters.

"That's not fair, Beth. I…" Beth shook her head.

"Yes it is. I understand, Maggie. You love him."

"And you love Daryl?," Maggie pressed.

"More then anything in the world." Maggie sighed.

"Then I guess I have no other choice, but to give you my blessing," Maggie said with a small, unsure smile.

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"Lemme guess," Daryl said, turning away from the counter and leaning against it, crossing his arms over his chest. "She thinks I'm too old for ya. She thinks I'm gonna end up hurtin' ya. She thinks I ain't good enough for ya." Beth rolled her eyes, not saying anything and walked to stand in front of him, leaning against the island counter opposite him.

"She's right ya know. About all of it," he said gruffly. Beth raised an eyebrow, urging him with her silence to keep talking. "I'm old nuff to be yer daddy, girl. It's almost illegal." Beth bit her lip, trying to keep from laughing at his bout of self scrutinizing. "I definitely ain't good enough for ya. Yer all pureness and light and hope. Spent your days before the outbreak eating frozen yogurt and ridin' ponies. I'm just… poor white trash, growin' up without a mama, a drunken pop and an idiot brother. Never did nothing with my life. Didn't deserve nothing in life. I definitely don't deserve you."

Beth frowned and stepped forward, no longer finding his little monologue funny, more like heartbreaking. How did he not know how amazing he was? She put her hands on his shoulders, and he dropped his arms to his sides. He dropped his head slightly.

"Hey. Cut that out. Not even twenty minutes ago you were kissin' me like I was all that is right in the world," she said with a little smile as she tried to catch his eye. "Don't come in here and start over thinking things because Maggie wanted to have a little sisterly chat. Which, by the way, ended with her giving us her blessing." Daryls eyes found hers at that. "Daryl Dixon, I don't care how old you are, or who you were before. And I don't give two shits what anyone else thinks. Can't we just enjoy it? Be together and figure it out as it comes?"

Daryl wasn't sure what to say, so he just nodded. Beth smiled and raised on her tip toes and pecked his lips quickly.

"Good. Now c'mon. Let's get some sleep. I get the top," she said smiling teasingly.

"Beth, I…," he stammered, his cheeks turning 20 different shades of crimson. Beth laughed and slapped his stomach playfully as they sauntered out of the kitchen.

"Get yer mind outta the gutter, Dixon. The top _bunk_. You know, you'd think after what we were just doin' in the bathroom, the idea of doin' more wouldn't make ya blush so bad."

"I ain't blushin'," he muttered as he followed her from the kitchen.

"Whatever you say, Daryl," she replied as she threw open the door to the shared bedroom.

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Sorry it's kind of short but the children have awoken and I must provide them with meals. It's another fluffy chapter. I got some ideas to spice things up in the next few chapters. Definitely not a favorite chap of mine, but I promise the next will be better. ;) Lol. REVIEW!


	6. Flour Fighting

A/N: You guys are the best! Your reviews made my night last night. Little miss michelle, aliced821, loving-u-4-ever, brandy, terrazas14, nat, mrskaz453, heatherrk, DarylDixon'sLover and the three other awesome guests who reviewed yesterdays chapter: This ones for you.

Another fluffy one cuz, well… I like the fluffy ones.. It's short, but I wanted to make sure I updated TODAY because I was so grateful for the awesome reviews! So, without further delay, Enjoy! ;)

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Beth hopped down from the top bunk quietly, trying not to wake up anyone. Well, anyone other then Daryl, it is. She knelt in front of where he slept below her and rested her chin on her crossed arms over the metal frame. She smiled as she watched his eyes twitch in his sleep, his breathing heavy and even.

That hair cut had really done wonders for him. The years just dropped off of his appearance by the ability to see his child-like face without having to squint through the layers of hair that used to fall in front of his eyes. Beth reached out and touched the top of his hair, running her fingers through the shorter locks and smiling down at him.

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"Psst…," Daryl heard Beth whisper into his ear. A week ago, even the slightest sound in his sleep would've caused Daryl to shoot up out of a dead slumber. But he had been awake for awhile, felt her moving around on the top bunk before she had even hopped out of bed. He had felt her kneel beside him, could feel her eyes traveling over him. When her hands went to his hair, he didn't want to let her know he was awake. He wanted to just feel her there, next to him for a little while longer, without the guilt or the awkwardness or the fuzzy, confusing feeling he felt inside whenever he looked at her. But now, he supposed, he'd have to open his eyes.

"Hmmph," he gurgled as he lazily opened his eyes and found her face.

"Wake up," she said in a cheery whisper.

"Why?," he asked. He figured it couldn't be no more then 6 am. He had planned on sleeping in at least a little bit. His body was tired and felt heavier then it had in a long time. And his back…It'd been so long since he slept on a mattress, his back didn't ever want to move again.

"We're gonna go make breakfast for everyone," Beth said as if it was the simplest answer in the world. Daryl raised an eyebrow.

"I ain't cookin' breakfast, Beth. I don't cook."

"Sure you do," she said nudging him slightly. "I've seen ya cook squirrel, deer and the occasional snake."

"That's different," he said, not understanding how she could see any similarities between cooking on an open fire in the woods, and making his way around a formal kitchen.

"C'mon, Daryl," she said pouting at him slightly, even though her eyes still smiled. Daryl rolled his eyes and ran his hand over his face. He looked back at her, defeated, and Beth knew she had won. She squealed quietly and leaned forward, kissing his lips softly before standing up.

"I'll meet ya in the kitchen," she said with a smile before she turned and left Daryl laying on the bed, staring at the whirl wind who had just woken him up to make _breakfast_ with her. What in the hell did he let her do to him?

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Twenty minutes later, Daryl sauntered into the kitchen. He didn't appear too happy, probably aggravated that she had woken him up to do something he really didn't want to do. But Beth knew it could be fun for them, sort of normal. And since Rick and Michonne were on watch upstairs, and everyone else was sleeping, she knew it would probably be the only time they got together, aside from their watch shift of course.

Beth peaked up at him as he got closer to her, giving him her fullest smile before looking back at the bowl of pancake mix she was stirring in front of her.

"Here," she said handing him the bowl and the spoon. "Just stir it until all the powder's gone." He did as she instructed.

"Ever make pancakes before?," she asked after pulling a package of sausage from the fridge. She had put a few things from the freezer in there to defrost for the days ahead.

"Nope," he said pushing the bowl back toward her. She grabbed a frying pan for the pancakes and peeked in the bowl. It was perfectly mixed.

"Well, you're gonna today," she said handing him the pan before grabbing another for the sausage.

"Probably be better if I do the meat. ," he said nodding toward her side of the stove where she had set the pan.

"You got this, Daryl," she said turning her attention toward him. "It's real simple. You're gonna pour the batter into the pan. When you can see the sides of it are cooked and the tops bubblin' a little bit, you flip it and cook the other side. And ya got a pancake!," she said. "Don't worry, I'll be right here," she ran her hand up his back and kissed his cheek, before turning back toward her task.

"If I mess em' up, it's your fault," he said, finally smiling at her.

"Blame taken," she replied as she set the sausage into the sizzling pan. She let them simmer for a few and moved behind Daryl to clean up her mess from the pancake mix. She turned, tripping over her own two feet and sent the open bag of flour flying. Flour landed everywhere, on the floor and counters, and right into the face of Daryl Dixon.

Beth froze momentarily, as Daryl turned toward her, shocked, flour in his hair and splattered on his face. It was definitely a sight to see. She covered her mouth, the corners of her lips turning up behind her hand, before the laughter bubbled out of her.

"Ain't funny," Daryl said, even though Beth could see his own smile through the flour. "Ain't fair, either," he said stepping closer to her. "Ya ain't got a bit of flour on ya, girl," he said before he reached out and grabbed her by the waist. She froze as he pulled her against him. They stared at each other silently until Daryl's smile widened and he shook his head forcefully, causing the flour to bounce off of his hair and face and sprinkle Beth so that she was _also_ covered in flour. Beth giggled and playfully fought against Daryl until he let her go. She grabbed a handful of flour from the counter and threw it at him, which earned her two handfuls from Daryl.

They chased each other around the kitchen, throwing flower at each other. Before too long, flour had covered every inch of their previously pristine kitchen. They were both laughing, scraping together flour to throw at each other, and just having _fun_ together.

Before they were finished with their little flour fight, the sausage had burnt and the pancakes had been forgotten. They were both laughing, on opposite ends of the counter, each waiting to make the next move and be the flour fight champion. Beth looked behind Daryl, where he stood in front of the stove.

"Sausage," Beth said to Daryl, who jumped and turned around, turning off the pan and inspecting the food. Beth used it as her opening and jumped onto and over the counter, grabbing handfuls of flour with her. He turned back around and found himself face to face with her. She smiled triumphantly and dropped the handfuls of flour into his shirt. Daryl smiled.

"I win," she said simply as her arms wound their way around his neck. Daryl nodded, flour falling from the top of his head, making Beth giggle again.

"Thank you," he said as his hands landed on her thighs. Beth tilted her head to the side, confused.

"For what? Kickin' your butt in the flour fight?," she said teasingly.

"For wakin' me up," he said, giving her thighs a slight squeeze and causing Beths heart to flutter excitedly. "I think I like makin' breakfast," he said, resting his dusty, floury head against hers.

"Well, good," she said, rolling her forehead off of his and pulling him closer, resting her chin on his shoulder as his arms came around her back. "Let's just hope you like the clean up, too."

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**REVIEW! Thanks for reading! I appreciate you. **


	7. Jobs to do

**A/N: Sorry for the delay. The weekends consist of four small people and one grown man child occupying my time and thought processes. And now… Another, different (at least) child is sick! Stupid season changes. **

**Anywho: Thank you so much for last chapters reviews… BTW… I have 63 followers and 44 reviews for this story thus far… Which is almost DOUBLE what I had for Finding the Sunshine. Your support means everything to me, and the faithful reviews and the climbing list of followers has made this my NUMBER 1 fic. That means, that I will make sure I update this story more then any other. ;) Thanks guys. I appreciate you.**

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The group gathered around a breakfast of burnt sausage and pancakes. Rick sat at the head of the table, Judith in a high chair next to him on one side, and Carl on the other. Michonne sat next to Carl, and next to him Beth. Maggie and Glenn rounded the table. There was an empty chair, and then there was Daryl, whose head stayed lowered. Beth tried to reach out with her foot to nudge his boot, get his head up, but the damn table was too big. She'd just have to get a reaction out of him another way.

"Sorry about the burnt sausage, guys. It appears as if Daryl only knows how to cook wild animals," she said with a teasing note in her voice. Daryl finally raised his head, a small smile on his face.

"Don't listen to her. She made the sausage. I made the pancakes, and they turned out just fine," he said grabbing one and ripping it in half before shoving it into his mouth for emphasis. Everyone except Glenn laughed. Glenn sat in his chair and pushed the food around with his fork.

"What's with you, Glenn?," Michonne asked. "You're awfully quiet this morning." Beth rolled her eyes, and Daryl hung his head again. "And what the hell happened to your face? You too, Daryl."

They both shrugged, neither responding or looking at each other. They would definitely have to talk it out, but they wouldn't be doing it with everyone watching them. The group let the silence hang in the air a minute, before Judiths laughter at the sticky syrup on her little fingers once again brought smiles to their faces.

After their tummys were once again full, Carl took Judy to clean her up while the rest of them sat around the table discussing what they needed to do that day.

"I'm gonna go take a look around the house next door, collect some material for spikes for the outside of the gate," Rick said.

"I'll come with ya," Daryl responded. While he didn't like the idea of leaving Beth, he knew he needed some time out so that he could clear his head a little.

"I'm in," Michonne added.

"Maggie, we need to get into those computers. See what's inside them," Rick continued.

"Shouldn't take me too much longer," she answered.

"We need to tear the house apart up stairs, try to find the key to that door," he continued, nodding his head toward the door that they couldn't open.

"Without making a mess," Beth put in.

"I'll do it," Glenn added.

"Carl with watch Judith, and Beth…"

"Beth has a mess to clean in the kitchen," she replied sweetly, her gaze falling on Daryl, who smirked at her comment. "And I'll finish cleaning up the rest of the bunker down here, and I'll do some laundry. No point in it piling up just because we have extra clothes now."

"Alright then," Rick said. "Everyone's got their jobs. We'll meet back here for dinner."

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"I kissed her," Daryl said to Rick as they gathered long metal strips from piping in the basement of the house next door. Rick looked back at him, grinning.

"She hit you?," he asked jokingly. Daryl looked at him, confused, until he remembered the small cut on his lip and the bruise on his cheek.

"Naw. That was Glenn." Rick shook his head.

"I figured as much," he responded. "The tension at breakfast was pretty thick." Daryl didn't respond, just pulled off the long pipe he had been working on and threw it on the pile before working on another. "So you kissed her. And..?" Daryl let his arms fall from the piece of metal.

"She kissed me back," he answered almost timidly.

"I knew she would, Daryl. When that girl looks at you, you can almost see the hearts in her eyes. So what's the problem then?"

"Rick. She's barely 20. When I let myself think about it, about how wrong it is…Shit.. I dunno, man. I just…" Daryl was having a hard time getting out a complete thought.

Rick turned toward him, cupping a hand on his shoulder reassuringly.

"It's only wrong if you think it's wrong," he said. "Beth's an adult, and she can make her own decisions, and it appears as if she's decided that she wants to be with you. You love her?"

Daryl didn't answer, just hung his head.

"If you love her, then nothing about it can be wrong. The world's a different place, now. Everyone needs someone, Daryl, and I'm glad that you found your someone in Beth."

"Glenn wasn't so happy. Looks at me like I'm some sort of pedophile."

"What'd Maggie say?," Rick asked as he took his wrench back to the pipe.

"I guess Maggie told Beth that she gave us her blessing, whatever the hell that means."

"That means you're in, brother. Don't over think it. Enjoy it. Let yourself have a little bit of happy and don't worry about what anyone other then what you and Beth think. That's all that really matters, right? Keepin' her happy?"

Daryl sighed and raised his hammer toward the pipe, swinging hard on the end he had already loosened with the wrench.

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"Hey, Beth," Carl said walking into the master bedroom that Beth was cleaning with Judith on his hip. They had all been hard at work for a little over three hours. Beth had restored the kitchen to its formers glory, and was almost done with the master suite when he had walked in.

"Hey, Carl. Hey, Judith," she said as she reached for the little girl who held her arms out toward Beth expectantly. Beth sat on the bed and nestled Judith in her lap, Carl sitting next to her.

"What brings ya'll in here?," Beth said in a baby talk voice to Carl, even though her eyes were on Judiths little face. Judy giggled and Carl shrugged.

"Just got bored, I guess," he answered.

"You can go see if Michonne needs help outside. She's diggin' holes for the spikes while your Daddy and Daryl are strippin' the house next door."

"I'm supposed to be watching Judith," he answered sullenly. It was clear to Beth that Carl didn't like the idea of being the built in babysitter. He wanted to do something important, be a part of the action.

"Lil' ass kicker can stay here with me," Beth said as she nuzzled into the babys hair. Carl chuckled a little at the name Daryl had given his sister.

"So you and Daryl, huh?," Carl asked. Beth looked over at him and tilted her head to the side.

"Where'd you hear that?," she asked, smiling slightly.

"It's kind of obvious. The way you two look at each other. The song you sang to him. And I kind of saw you kiss him this morning before you guys disappeared to 'make breakfast'," he said, actually air quoting. Beth laughed.

"We just made breakfast, Carl," she said. Carl shrugged.

"Whatever. I'm just glad you're happy, Beth. Daryl's a good guy."

"He is. Thanks, Carl." Carl smiled at her before ruffling Judiths hair and standing up.

"I'm gonna get outta here before you change your mind about babysittin'," he said smiling as he walked out the door. Carl had grown into quite the young man, she thought. She only hoped he would have every happiness in life, and continue to be such a loving, smart, capable individual. Mostly, she hoped he wouldn't let this world change him into something ugly. He had a good heart and Beth prayed it would stay that way.

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"Beth!," Maggie screamed from the control room. It had been over four hours since Carl had went to help Michonne, and Beth had just finished cleaning and organizing the ridiculously large food pantry. Judith was down for a nap and Beth had to admit, she was ready for one as well. In between the cleaning and laundry and the early wake up, she was just beat.

Beth walked into the control room and stood over Maggie shoulder, smiling widely once she noticed that all of the computers were completely on and open.

"I did it, Beth. I got in. And you'll never believe what I found. Hurry. Get the others."….

**TBC**

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**A/N: Review! ;) Thanks for reading guys. I appreciate you.**


	8. Key cards and Fortresses

The group gathered around Maggie, waiting for her to explain what they were seeing. Obviously, the computers were all turned on and operable. She had broken through whatever locking system it had. That was great in itself. But now, she had gotten the better of all their curiosities.

"I didn't want to test it all until everyone was together," she said, biting her bottom lip excitedly, hoping that what she had expected to happen, did. It would mean so much for them, maybe even more then the food and water. It meant protection and safety.

"Test what?," Rick asked, bouncing a now awake Judith on his hip.

"This," Maggie said with a click of the mouse. The three screens flashed, as did the large projector screen in front of them, showing camera views of every angle of the house on the outside, as well as every entry point on the inside, windows included. "Almost every inch of the house is under video surveillance. There's also an intercom system that directs us to the front of the house, in event of visitors."

"That's definitely helpful," Glenn said with a small smile.

"It is, but that's not the best part," Maggie said smiling up at him. She clicked another icon, and a large screeching noise echoed from behind them, before they watched metal bars lower on every window, and large metal slabs cover every door.

"No fucking way," Carl said excitedly, causing Ricks eyes to shoot toward him.

"Watch yer mouth, Carl," he said in a stern tone. Carl just smiled.

"I'm sorry, Dad, but look at it," he said, nodding toward the screens, which now displayed a perfectly secure house. There was no way anyone, or anything, would be able to penetrate their walls.

"This place is a fortress," Michonne said smiling.

"I've never felt luckier in my entire life," Beth said, squeezing Daryls hand.

"There's more," Maggie said. She pressed a few more buttons, and a printer next to her came to life, producing a small key card similar to the ones they had found around the house. She picked it up and handed it back to Rick.

"It should open the door." Rick raised an eyebrow and turned around, leaving the room, everyone else following him expectantly. He paused in front of the only door they had yet to open and swiped the card, the light flashing green for entrance. Rick smiled back at them, before pulling the door open. He reached inside and flicked a switch. The group gasped, the sight before them truly something to behold.

"Well, I'll be damned," Daryl said with a chuckle.

"We're going to be okay here, aren't we, Dad," Carl said, not so much a question as it was a declaration. Rick nodded and ruffled his hair.

"I'd say we're going to be just fine."

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A/N: Don't hate me. I know it's short. But I wanted to update today… Besides, that's a great cliffhanger, if I do say so myself. ;) You'll just have to wait until next time to see what was behind the door.

Also, on another completely unrelated note, I started a new fic. If you happen to also be a fan of Sons of Anarchy, then you know that they had their series finale last night. I couldn't help myself. I'm starting a story from Thomas Tellers POV, 17 years after the final ride. It's called "A New Ride Begins". Thanks for reading and Review!


	9. Poolside livin'

"You haveta bring yer shoulder up, just a little more," Daryl whispered to Beth as he stood behind her, placing his hand on her elbow gently and raising it to where it needed to be. His lips were right next to her ear, and every time he spoke in that slow drawl, Beth felt shivers go down her spine.

"Steady now," he said as he let his hand fall away and took a step back. Beth took a deep breath and let the arrow fly, nailing the squirrel right to the trunk of the tree. Beth smiled excitedly and turned toward Daryl, who stood with his arms crossed over his chest and a small, satisfied grin on his face.

"You see that?," Beth asked proudly. Daryl nodded.

"I think I like this bow better," she said, twirling her new toy in her hand.

"It's smaller. Fits you better," he responded as he went and gathered the squirrel from the tree.

"I still can't believe all this," she said, referring to their crazy good luck. A safe home, a room full of weapons that were priceless in an apocalypse, food to eat. It all just seemed too good to be true.

"You were always saying the good guys win in the end," he said. "Guess we were the good guys after all."

Beth smiled as they turned and walked back toward the house, each now with a bow hanging on their backs.

It was their watch shift. They took a walk around the house, checking things out and removing a walker from clawing at the front gate.

After some discussion, the group had decided that they would move the spikes they'd place in front of the house tomorrow, further away from the house, on the other side of the gate. While the house itself seemed impenetrable, the gates surrounding the house had definitely left something to be desired in the way of protection. They were too short, too flat. Seemed as if it was constructed purely for decoration purposes.

Doing this would secure them almost completely safe outdoor space, for planting or stock. Whatever they could do to make life as normal as they possibly could. They all had decided. They were done moving, and done running. They had finally found home, so they might as well make the best of it.

Daryl reached the back door and looked back. They had completely circled the perimeter. They would walk through the lower level of the house, and then repeat. But Beth didn't look too interested in doing much of anything. She sat on an old, faded wicker bench at the side of the green, algae ridden pool. She looked deep in thought, so instead of calling out toward her, Daryl walked over and sat beside her.

"Think we could get this pool workin' again?," she asked after a minute or so of comfortable silence. Daryl shrugged.

"Maybe if any of us knew anything useful about swimming pools," he said, highly doubting that any of them did.

"Wouldn't it be nice, Daryl?," she said as she linked his fingers with hers. "Relaxin' after a long day of walker killin' with an ice cold lemon aid in your hand and your toes in clear blue water?" He chuckled lightly, the idea hilarious to him. Daryl Dixon getting his feet wet in an Olympic sized swimming pool in the back yard of a mansion, sippin' lemonade.

"What's so funny?," Beth asked smiling over at him, confused. Daryl shook his head.

"Nothin'," he responded, just as they heard a womans scream echo around them. Daryl and Beth shot to their feet, Beth automatically heading toward the sounds of distress.

"What're you doin', girl?," Daryl said as he reached out and grabbed her arm.

"Daryl, let go of me. I'm goin' to help," she said, her eyes boring into his, showing him that unless he was going to throw her over his shoulder and force her inside the house, she was going. She shook her arm free and jogged toward the back gate, lifting the latch and slowly peering around the edge.

"Shit," Daryl mumbled as he jogged to catch up with her, knowing there was no way in hell he would let her go out there alone.

A different, more childlike voice screamed next.

"This way," Daryl said, stepping in front of Beth and taking the lead. They left the gate opened and took calculated steps, listening and looking for a source to the screams. They turned up the driveway to a house next door, and heard the scuffling and whimpers get closer with each step. Turning the corner of the house, they saw a family huddled on top of a Garage roof, as a group of three walkers reached for them.

A mother and father, a teenage daughter, and a young son. They spotted Daryl and Beth, their eyes growing wide in fear. Beth frowned, imagining the horror they had lived through. She raised her finger to her lips, letting them know to stay quiet. She looked up toward Daryl and they both pulled their bows out, and aimed carefully. In seconds, two of the walkers were down. Daryl reloaded and easily brought down the third.

They looked toward the family, whose fear had not eased. They huddled in the center of the roof, holding on to each other for dear life.

"What the hell are we gonna do now?," Daryl asked Beth as they took in the four of them. Beth reached out and grabbed his hand, giving it a little squeeze.

"We're gonna bring them home," she answered, as if it was the simplest answer in the world.

Tbc… Don't forget to review!


	10. Poindexter

"It's going to be okay," Beth said softly, taking a step toward the family even though Daryl grunted beside her. She smiled a full, megawatt smile. "I promise you, we won't hurt you." The group seemed to relax, but just slightly. Beth walked over to where the fallen ladder lay, and rested it against the side of the roof.

"Th…Thank you," the mother whispered softly, but made no effort to move toward it. Beth smiled in response.

"Are there any more of you?," Daryl asked gruffly, walking to stand beside Beth.

"What's it matter to you?," the father asked, clearly on edge. Daryl obviously didn't appreciate the tone in the mans voice and took a step forward. Beth reached out and touched Daryl's arm, gently pulling him back.

"We want to help you," Beth said softly, directing her attention toward the father. "We have a safe place, but not a whole lot of room." It was kind of the truth. Sure, they had plenty of physical room to share. But it was the material items that they needed to keep under consideration. They had plenty, but the more heads you add to the mix, the more plenty turns into not enough.

"There's three more with us. They went on a run and should be back soon." the mother whispered. Beth looked up at Daryl, biting her bottom lip between her teeth.

Daryl sighed, and looked around them. The sky was dark, which immediately made everything about being outside dangerous, but Daryl didn't feel comfortable making any decisions that effected the entirety of the group without their knowledge. And he hated sending Beth, but it was better then leaving her with strangers. The house wasn't far. She had protection. It was the only way.

"Go get Rick. Tell the others," he said abruptly. Beth turned to do as he said, until she heard the man speak from behind her.

"We don't need your help," the father barked, obviously wary of these new people.

"Oh yeah?," Daryl said. "Sure looked like you didn't need our help."

"Daryl, they're scared." Beth whispered to Daryl, as the man and woman who still perched on the roof began to talk hurriedly amongst themselves.

"If they don't want our help, Beth, we don't need to help them."

"But Daryl…" Just as Beth went to speak, they heard a rustling coming from behind the garage. Beth and Daryl instinctively pulled their bows from behind their backs, aiming them toward the source of the noise.

Daryl's arrow lowered as the presumed three other members of their group walked from around the side of the structure.

"Well, I'll be damned," Daryl said, staring into the three familiar faces.

"You know them?," Beth asked, as the strangers eyes also lit up in recognition and slight smiles. Daryl nodded and took a step forward, ready to greet his old friends.

"So let me guess," he said walking up to the biggest man, a tall, red headed soldier type, and holding out his hand in greeting. "Poindexter was full of shit, wasn't he?"

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TBC… Sorry for the short and ridiculously delayed chapter. I have had my hands full of kids, broken laptop chargers, and craziness. So, I'm assuming you caught on to who the other three members of their group were. Not even I saw that coming. But as I started to write, it's just what happened. So I'm as surprised as you are.

Don't forget to review, my friends. You know how much I love em'. Thanks for reading. And as always, I appreciate you. ;)


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